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2025 Supreme(Online)(Tel) 64874

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD
B.R.Madhusudhan Rao, J
Balaraju – Appellant
Versus
Vikasapuri cultural AND welfare society – Respondent
CITY CIVIL COURT APPEAL NO.165 OF 2016



A claim for declaration of title via adverse possession requires concrete evidence of continuous and uninterrupted occupation, and a court will not grant such relief if the claimant's own testimony and documentary evidence support the opposing party's legal title.

Headnote:(A) Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Section 96 - Property Law - Adverse Possession - Declaration of Title - Perpetual Injunction - Appellant claiming ownership over open space adjacent to his property by way of prescription - Lower court dismissed the suit due to lack of evidence proving possession and title - Appellate Court examined evidence and found appellant's own admissions and lease deeds (Ex.B1) substantiated the Respondent's claims - Failure to prove adverse possession or title led to dismissal. (Paras 1, 20, 25, 26)

Facts of the case:
The appellant, as plaintiff, filed a suit for declaration of title by adverse possession and perpetual injunction over an open space designated as the suit schedule property. He claimed to have occupied and maintained the land since 1990 with the society's permission to prevent nuisance. The respondents contended that the land belongs to the society and was leased to another cooperative entity in 1996.

Findings of Court:
The Court found that the appellant failed to prove his exclusive possession or title. Documentary evidence, including a registered lease deed (Ex.B1), indicated that the suit property formed part of land belonging to the society, contrary to the appellant's claims.

Issues: Whether the appellant is entitled to a declaration of ownership by prescription and a perpetual injunction, and whether the trial court's judgment warrants interference.

Ratio Decidendi: A plaintiff seeking declaration of title based on adverse possession must provide cogent evidence of continuous, uninterrupted, and adverse possession; failure to do so, combined with evidence showing the property belongs to others, necessitates the dismissal of the claim.

Result: Appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. summary of suit background and lower court dismissal. (Para 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10)
2. summary of appellate arguments. (Para 12 , 13)
3. court's reasoning on evidence and title validation. (Para 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28)

ORDER:

1. This appeal is filed under Section 96 of Civil Procedure Code (hereinafter referred to as CPC) assailing the judgment and decree in O.S.No.1821 of 2007, dated 30.03.2016, passed by the Additional Judge - cum - VI Senior Civil Judge, Hyderabad.

2. Appellant is the plaintiff and respondents are the defendants in the suit.

Averments of the plaint:

3.1 Appellant-plaintiff is the absolute owner, possessor and enjoyer of house bearing No. 8-3-167/A/1 consisting of ground floor plus, two upper floors at Vikasapuri, S.R.Nagar, Yousufguda, Hyderabad. Appellant-plaintiff was allotted open plot No.1, admeasuring 300 sq.yds. i.e., 250.80 sq.mts, being the member of M/s. B.H.E.L. (R and D) Employees Cooperative Housing Society (i.e., defendant No.4) under registered sale deed bearing document No.2026/1978 for valuable sale consideration. Initially, the appellant - plaintiff constructed ground floor after obtaining permission from the concerned authorities. Subsequently, he constructed two upper floors after obtaining permission vide permit No.27/52, dated 08.11.2002 from Circle No.5, Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad.

3.2 At the time of purchase of the plot, there was left over open space of size 21 x 16 sq.ft., i.e., admeasuring 37.33 sq.yds., towards south-east corner of the plot besides electrical substation (suit schedule property). The open space became nuisance for the appellant-plaintiff and his family members being the immediate neighbours and the locality people used to dump all waste material and debris and it was used as a place of dumper bin. The appellant-plaintiff and his family members were badly effected and he requested the committee members of defendant No.4 - society for taking appropriate measures to safeguard the plaintiff's right. The president of defendant No.4 - society directed the appellant-plaintiff to take appropriate measures and left the issue to his convenience. Municipal authorities also expressed their inconvenience and directed the appellant-plaintiff to take appropriate measures. Appellant-plaintiff engaged private security personnel in removing the said nuisance during the year 1990 and constructed a compound wall and a servant room in the leftover space. Since 1990 the appellant-plaintiff and his family members are in peaceful, absolute and exclusive possession and enjoyment of the same. Neither the defendant No.4 - society nor the Municipal authorities and Revenue authorities have set up any claim whatsoever over the same. Appellant-plaintiff has perfected his title by prescription, being in continuous, uninterrupted possession for all these years.

3.3. Defendant No.1 - society, which is formed subsequently, represented by its president and secretary (i.e., defendant No.2 and 3), without having right over the schedule property, started causing nuisance by way of obstructing the repair works taken up by the appellant - plaintiff. The defendants have no right, interest or title over the suit schedule property. Defendant No.4 constructed a mulgi for cooperative store towards the southern side of the suit schedule property in the year 1978. But left the open space as it belongs to them. Defendant No.1 has also constructed two mulgies to the south of the old mulgi constructed by defendant No.4. Defendant No.1 or defendant No.4 - societies have no right or title over the suit schedule property. On 05.07.2007 the defendants tried to remove the structures of the suit schedule property by engaging anti-social elements. On 07.07.2007, at about 08:30 a.m., to 09.00 a.m., defendants came with a mob of 20 to 25 persons, tried to dismantle the existing structure of the suit schedule property. Appellant - plaintiff has reported

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